Wedding Music

Hi, all!

Welcome to my blog. If it's your first visit, go to my main blog and take a look at a few of the posts (risingphoenixstory.blogspot.com). I have a bunch to add, but I've been a bit busy the past year, having moved twice, worked out of four locations in two states, and gotten engaged ;-)

This page is all about wedding music because, after all, I was a choir director for almost ten years and taught a lot of people how to sing traditional Catholic music.

The music for the wedding Mass will include some of my all-time favorites. The congregational music (or that which the people in the pews can/are asked to sing along with) is listed below in the order in which it appears. A lot of it is in the traditional worship languages of the Catholic Church, so I've included translations and pronunciation tracks as well.

You're certainly not required to listen and learn using the links below. We're happy just to have you present and praying for us. But, if it's been a while and you'd like to brush up, or you think it might be fun, I had all this on hand anyway from the teaching I've done and thought I'd post it for your convenience.


Kyrie: This is the first congregational part of the Mass. The text is actually Greek.
It is: Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison. (Listen to the pronunciation track)
It means: Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

The pronunciation track is here. The musical setting we are using is from the Mass of the Angels. It sounds like this. To see the sheet music, go here.

Gloria: This is the longest text of the ordinary of the Mass. It is a hymn of praise in three parts. It begins with an acclamation of God's greatness and glory, followed by a petition for mercy, and ending with a doxology reiterating why we praise God.

The text is: Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te, gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam, Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Iesu Christe, Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis; qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus, Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.

It means:  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise You, we bless You, we adore You, we glorify You, we give You thanks for Your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord, You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The pronunciation track is here.
The version we will sing sounds like this.
Here is the sheet music.

Nicene Creed:

The creed will be recited in English. The feast of the Annunciation, which is celebrated on the day of our wedding, requires all to genuflect at the words "and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man." To highlight this, which only happens on this day and on Christmas day in the entire liturgical year, we will say the creed in our native language rather than sing it in Latin.

Sanctus: This is the next part, and include sections in Latin and Hebrew. The words "sabaoth" and "hosanna" are both Hebrew words. The three liturgical languages are Hebrew, Latin, and Greek (see the Kyrie above) because they were three of the main languages spoken at the time of Christ and were the languages in which the New Testament was written.

The text is: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis.

It means: Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Here is the pronunciation track.
Here is the music track.
Here is the sheet music.

Mysterium Fidei: Otherwise known as the Mystery of Faith.

The text is: Mortem tuam annuntiamus, Domine, et tuam ressurectionem confitemur, donec venias.

It means: We proclaim Your death, O Lord, and profess Your Resurrection until You come again.

Here is the pronunciation track.
Here is the music track.
Here is the sheet music. The first line is the priest's introduction. The congregation's part starts at the response, marked "R".

Pater Noster: This is the Our Father in Latin.

The text is: Pater noster qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum; adveniat regnum tuum, fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris, et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen. 

It means: Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Here is the pronunciation track.
Here is the music track.
Here is the sheet music.

Agnus Dei: This is the Lamb of God.

The text is: Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.

It means: Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Here is the pronunciation track.
Here is the music track.
Here is the sheet music.